MCCALLA, Alabama – The congregation at Bellview Baptist Church in McCalla was able to worship in its building Sunday morning despite a fire at the building yesterday thanks to a witness who scared away an arson suspect and who extinguished the fire.

"He was just absolutely a godsend," said William Deason, deacon chairman at Bellview Baptist Church.

Deason said the alarm at the church went off around 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said they also received a call that a white male was pouring gas on the front of the church and had set it on fire.

"A neighbor that lives across the road was coming home and he saw the flames and a car sitting in front," Deason said of the witness. "He turned in and started blowing his horn to frighten the guy. The guy picked up his gas can, got in his car and sped away."

The suspect reportedly fled in a red Chevrolet Impala, according to investigators.

The neighbor then put out the blaze. "He went home and got a mop pail bucket, a couple gallon bucket, filled it up with water, came back over here and put the fire out," Deason said. "The fire was out when the fire department got here."

The main damage to the 10-year-old building was a large window in the front entrance that was boarded up Sunday morning. Deason said the suspect broke the window and poured gasoline on chairs sitting inside and set them on the fire. Deason said there was also smoke damage and broken glass on two double-pane glass doors that the suspect tried to break.

"I think it was divine appointment that he was in that place at that time," Deason said. "I understand that several people rode by, saw that something was going on and called 911, but this guy actually stayed with it. And he stayed it and told everything he knew to the deputies. He is just a blessing to us. He's just a Good Samaritan, that's all I can say."

Deason said it's sad that the incident happened in this community, where Bellview has been meeting for more than 100 years.

"You always think you live in a community, and we do, but I think this is a person that has some mental issues," he said. "I don't think they realize what they're doing. This is the third attack in the area."

Sheriff's Sgt. Jack Self told AL.com there have been two other fires in the area. "However, it would be pure speculation at this point to say that they were started by the same person," Self said. "We have no information to indicate this fire is related to the other two."

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at (205) 325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at (205) 254-7777.